Traveling Soldier
Part of the Songfic Series OA is the Dixie Chicks. Enjoy! Traveling Soldier Two days past 18, '' ''He was waiting for the bus in his army green, Sat down in a booth in a cafe there Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair. He's a little shy so she gives him a smile And he said, Would you mind sitting down for a while And talking to me? I'm feeling in a little low. She said, I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go. :Reedpelt looked around nervously. Only a moon or so after his warrior ceremony, he still wasn't sure what to do for things like what he had agreed to do. His stomach growled and Reedpelt flinched, embarressed as two older warriors turned to look at him. :He noticed a she-cat handing out piece of fresh-kill to some cats and he padded over. "Excuse me..?" :The she-cat was older, with gray with orange eyes. She nodded by a stump. "Sit over there." :Reedpelt thanked her and padded to the stump. A few moments later a pretty she-cat appeared with a juicy looking rabbit. :"Here you go." she meowed, giving him a stunning smile. She nturned to leave and Reedpelt jumped up. :"Wait!" :She turned. "Ye-es?" :"Um..." he stuttred, "Will you sit? And....And talk with me?" :She smiled again, "I'm off at sun-high and I know a place." So they went down and they sat on the pier. He said I bet you got a boyfriend, but I don't care. I got no one to send a letter to. Would you mind if I sent one back here to you? :Reedpelt stared at Specklefur. He had learned that she had become a warrior the same time as him and was in RiverClan. He was glad that he had lived close to her, in ThunderClan. Her pale blue eyes caught his green ones and she grinned. :They were sitting by the RiverClan-ThunderClan border. A rock jutted out into the river and the two new warriors were sprawled on it. :"So you're apart of the partol, huh?" Specklefur asked. :He nodded. Rogues in Twolegplace had been waging a war on the Clans for what seemed like forever. Then Clans were assembling huge partols to fight back. He had agreed, to get away from his overbearing family and the small life of a Clan. Then he had an idea. :"Um, once a moon, then send messengers back to the Clans to tell the warriors loved ones messages from the warriors. I don't have anoyone to send a message to but...do you mind if I send one back to you?" :"Of course not." she licked his ear and her eyes sparkled. "But only if you take this with you. For good luck." She handed him a stone picked from the river. He nodded, smiled, and curled his paw around it. :He smiled shyly and she leaned against him, both of them staring out over the river. I cried! Never gonna hold the hand of another guy! Too young for him, they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier! Our love will never end! Waiting for the soldier to come back again! Never more to be alone when the letter said A soldiers coming home. :Specklefur was grooming her tortoisehell fur when the messenger came. A young sandy gray tom with large green eyes, he reminded her of Reedpelt. She fought tears. She hadn't allowed herself to cry after he left, reminding herself that he would return. :"Message?" she asked, her heart lifting. :He looked at her suspiciously, "Are you Snaggletooth?" :Specklefur sighed and pointed out a large gray she-cat with huge tangled teeth to the messenger. :She looked out at camp. I'll wait for him. He's coming back. Not going to look at the other toms, not going to cry... :"Specklefur!" :She sighed and turned to go hunting. So the letters came from an army camp First in California, then in Vietnam. And he told her of his heart It might be love, and all the things he was so scared of He said, When it's getting kinda rough over here I just close my eyes and think about that day on the pier And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile. Don't worry, but I won't be able to write for a while. :Her first message came 7 sunrises or so after Reedpelt had left. :"Message?" she asked a small ginger she-cat. The she-cat nodded seriously and recited. :"To Specklefur from Reedpelt. He says that he's on the edge of the Clan boundries, training to go into Twolegplace. He says that when training gets rough he just thinks about the day you two spent on the pier. He says he closes his eyes and sees your pretty smile. He says he misses you with all his heart. He's scared to admit it, but he thinks he's in love with you. I think that's-oh yeah! And he can't send messages for a while, so don't worry. He's heading into Twolegplace." :Specklefur thanked the messenger and told her a quick reply to give to Reedpelt. When the messenger left, Specklefur barely contained herself from jumping up and yowling. :He loves me!!! :Then she remembered the messengers last few words. :He's heading into Twolegplace. :She turned to the direction of the Twolegplace. She imagined the shrieks and cauturwalls and moans of pain. And she imagined Reedpelt, sweet loving noble Reedpelt, in that place. Ans she whispered a message of her own. :"Be careful Reedpelt," Specklefur whispered. "I'm waiting for you to come home." I cried! Never gonna hold the hand of another guy! Too young for him, they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier! Our love will never end! Waiting for the soldier to come back again! Never more to be alone when the letter said A soldiers coming home. :Days turned into weeks which turned into moons without messages. :Specklefur spent most of her time staring in the direction of Twolegplace, waiting for a red-brown blur with playful green eyes to burst back into her life. :She tried talking to her mother. But all Willowsong said was, "He was too young. Never send a kit to do a cat's job. He has no idea what horrors lie in wait..." :For the past few days, Specklefur had just stayed in her den and cried. One Friday night at a football game The Lord's prayer said and the Anthem sang A man said, Folks, would you bow your heads For a list of local Vietnam dead. Crying all alone, under the stands Was a piccalo player in the marching band. And one name read, and nobody reaqlly cared.. But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair! :The Gathering began normally. The cats all thanked StarClan and shared tongues. :Then Birchstar, the ThunderClan leader stepped up and yowled for the Gathering to start. Then he meowed, "Cats of all Clans, please bow your heads. The messengers have brought us a list of those who have died in Twolegplace." :There were a few wails and Specklefur glanced around. She was sitting under a bush and suddenly felt claustrophobic. Her heart tightened. :Birchstar gravely announced several names. The announcement was followed by a shocked silence, and then usually several wails. Some names drew nothing but a few murmers while others induced grief stricken wails and screeches. :Birchstar read another name. There was a silence, but no one saiud anything. :Specklefur slipped out from under the bush, her eyes wide. She stared at Birchstar, the burning tears filled her eyes as she shrieked, "NO!" :Reedpelt!!!! I cried! Never gonna hold the hand of another guy! Too young for him, they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier! Our love will never end! Waiting for the soldier to come back again! Never more to be alone when the letter said A soldiers coming home. :Specklefur ignored the messenger when she came in. But she flicked her eyes over and saw it was the same cat who brought her Reedpelt's first message. She assumed they were friends. :The messenger took a few pawsteps forward, "I am so sorry." She whispered. :"Is that all you came to say?" meowed Specklefur harshly, bitterly. :The young cat flinched, "N-No. I have to tell you that Reedpelt's body will be brought back in two sunsets. You were the cat he said to come to if he died. And..." she took a shaky breath and extended one paw, c"He wanted you to have this." :Specklefur raised her head and saw the messenger hold out a small rock. She reached out and took it, then curled into a tight ball without saying anything. I cried! Never gonna hold the hand of another guy! Too young for him, they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier! Our love will never end! Waiting for the soldier to come back again! Never more to be alone when the letter said :Specklefur ran through the forest, her tears lost to the wind. Reedpelt's grave was fast dissappearing behind her and she ran, not know where she was headed through tear-blurred eyes. :She collapsed and when she opened her eyes, she saw she was on their rock. The river flowed by her, slowly. It's mourning too. :Specklefur looked at the river rock clutched in her paw. The one that had gone from the river to Reedpelt to her. She could feel the painful memories bundled inside. :She stood up shakily and threw the rock back into the river, hoping it flowed downstream. She closed her eyes and conjured up all the memories of Reedpelt. She imagined them vividly, then let them go, swept away by the river, like the rock. :She collapsed again, sobbing, knowing in her heasrt that she would never really be rid of all those memories. But letting go was easier then going on. :She curled up, crying alone on a rock meant for two. Wishing her warrior had come home. A soldiers coming home... Category:Artimas Hunter's Fanfics